Post-office furniture



- July 20, 1926.

R. T. BOURN POST OFFICE FURNITURE Filed June. 20, 1922 6 Sheets-Sheet 2PM UJ m QB WT lflm e. w 5 4 4 W 2 4 4 S 4 A V 5 6 lv 4 4 4 July 20,1926.

R. T. BOURN PbST OFFICE FURNITURE Filed- June 20. 1922 e Sheets-$11961:a

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Patented July 20. 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

POST-OFFICE FURNITURE.

Application filed June 20, 1922. Serial No. 569,705.

This invention relates to that type of post ofiice furniture commonlyreferred to as carriers desks or routing cases and which are used byletter carriers to assist them in sorting their mail.

These carriers desks are usually constructed with a table on which issupported a routing case provided with shelves each separated intocompartments by partitions.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a carriersdesk having an improved form of partition which is so shaped as toeliminate any possibility that the flaps of the letters will becomecaught 7 thereon as the letters are thrown into the compartments duringthe mail sorting operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved form ofpartition which will hold letter mail of a great variety of sizeswithout danger that the smaller letters will slip under the partitionsfrom one compartment into another.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel carriersdesk which is arranged to present eye guides for assisting the carrierin sorting his mail.

The invention also comprehends a novel construction of shelf by whichthe shelf is prevented from twisting as it is drawn forwardly.

The invention also comprehends an improvided form of carriers desk whichhas a large capacity for holding bulky mail such as newspapers and thelike.

The invention further comprehends a novel carriers desk which isconstructed so that it can be readily knocked down and packed forshipment. This is provided for y making the table legs detachable fromthe table top and so proportioning the table top and the routing casethat the table top may be packed within the routing case when theshelves are removed, and by further so proportioning the parts that thetable legs,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the manner in which thesupports for the partitions are held in place;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through one of the partition supports;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing a form of the invention wherein thefront ends of the partitions are received in grooves in the shelves;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the form of shelf shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view through one shelf showing means forpreventing the shelf from twisting;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the device used for sorting newspapersand bulky material;

Fig. 11 is a view showing the carriers desks knocked down and packed forshipment;

Fig. 12 is a section on the line 12-12, Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is a vertical sectional view showing a different embodiment ofthe invention.

Fig. 14 is a perspective View showing the construction illustrated inFig. 13.

Fig. 15 is a detail hereinafter described.

The carriers desk herein illustrated is of the usual type having a tableportion 1 and a routing case sustained on the table and comprislng aplurality of shelves, each ,be ing partitioned off into compartments.The routing case comprises the two side mem bers 2 which support theshelves 3, said side members being connected together at their top by across-piece 4. Each shelf will preferably be provided with a back stop 5which rises a considerable distance thereabove and which prevents theletters from being forced over the back edge of the shelf.

The partitions which divide the shelves into compartments are indicatedat 6 and the partitions for each shelf are shown as secured to a movablesupport 7 which is sustained at its end in holders 8 pivotally securedto the sides 2 at 9 all as shown in my Patent No. 1,500,226, dated July8th; 1924. The manner herein illustrated of securing the partitions tothe supports is also the same as illustrated in my above mentionedapplication, each support having grooves 10 in which the rear ends ofthe partitions 6 are received and the partitions being formed in itsrear end with an opening or slot through which a clamping Dar 11extends, said clamping bar being socured to the support. The opening ismade with a portion let large enough to receive the clamping bar andthen with the slot ;.)O1'- tion in which the bar is received when thepartition is in operative position so that the I placing of thepartitionsin position involves simply inserting the linger '12 of eachpartition into the groove 10 and bind the clamping bar 11. p I

In Fig. 8 the finger 12 is shown as having an extension 15 under theclamping bar 11 sotha't each partition is lookei in place. j Y

The construction of the shelf and partitions is such that each shelf canbe rk einoved without removing the partitions. This is provided for bythe way in which the supports 3 are pivotally' mounted. Each partitionis formed with the inclined under edge 16' which engaged by the backstop 5 when the shelf is withdrawn as shown in Fig. 2. The engagement ofthe back stop with the partitions lifts the latter to allow the shelf tobe withdrawnan'd such lifting of the partition is provided for by thern'an ner in which the stop 7 is pivoted. When any shelf is thrownforwardly the back stop 5 will engage the inail and withdraw it from thepartitions.

The partitions are specially designed so that they will hold equallywell letters otali sizes and so that there is no possibility that anypart of the partition will beco'nie caught on the portion of the flap ofany envelope between the point where the adhesive is applied and theedge of the envelope.

In most envelopes the adhesive is' ap'plied to the flap within th areaincluded by the dotted line 17 in Fig. 15 and therefore when theenvelope is sealed the portion 18 of the flap is free from the envelope.Seinetiine's this unsealed portion 18 of the envelope stands out frointheeiivelope slightly and as a result when the letters are thrown intothe routing case the corner 18 of the flap is apt to become caught onthe front of the partition thus tearing or injuring the envelope.

In the present invention the partitions are designed as to obviate thisdanger. This isacco nplished by giving the partition such a shape thatwhen a letter of-any size is thrown into a compartment close to apartition the partition will engage first with the portion of theflaphaving the adhesive before it engages the portion 18 of the flap andthus the partition cannot enter the space between the flap and bodyof'the env'elo is at the point 18. j

Eaci partition is made with-an inclined edge 19, the inclination ofwhich is less than that of the ed es 20 of the fla With this arrangementwhenever any letter is thrown into the compartment next to a partitionthe point 21 of the flap will be the first portion thereof which willengage the partition and after the point 21 has passed between the edges19 of the partition then there can be no possibility that the unsealedportion 18 ofthe flap will engage any part of the partition and becometorn thereby.

This is illustrated in Fig. 8 wherein an envelope is shown in dottedlines and wherein is also illustrated the difference in the anglebetween the edge 19 of the partition and the edge of the flap. From saidfigure it will be observed that the point of the flap is entered behindthe partition before the part 18 thereof engages the partition.

In the construction shown in Figs. 2'- and 8 the bottom edge of thepartition has the inclined portion 16' and the straight portion 22 whichextends parallel to the shelf. The stop 7 is held in position so thatthe edge of the partitions will be just free of the shelf and suchadjustment of the stop is provided for by means of an adjusting screw 23which is secured iii the strip 24 carried by the side 2 and whichform-sa stop for the swinging movement of the support 7 in onedirection. This screw 23- can be adjusted so as to raise or lower thefront edges of the partitions to place them so that they will just befree of the shelves 3.

In Fig. 6' a construction is shown wherein each partition is formed onits under side at the front end with an extension 24- which fits in agroove 25' formed in the shelf This construction may be employed whereit is desired to provide means to hold the front ends of the partitionsfrom lateral movement.

In Fig. 6 a construction is also illustrated wherein the shelves havedividing inembers 26 spaced the same distance apart as the partitionsand arranged directly underneath the partitions. These dividinginenibers forin continuations of the partitions and fill the spacebeneath the inclined face 16 of the partitions so as topre'v'ent thepossibility of any small mail slipping under the partitions at thispoint. These dividing members 26 are shown as pieces of sheet inetal setinto grooves 27 formed in the shelves and'the back stop 5. The frontends of the dividing nieinbers pointed as shown at 28 and said frontends are held in place by a retaining bar 29, which is set in a groovein the shelf and which overlies the edges of the pointed ends The backstop is provided with a retaining plate 30 which overlies the rear endsof the dividing members andholds them in position. This retaining plateis held in position by screws 31 passing throu 'h slots 32 formedtherein. The pur ose of tle slot is to permit the re taining plate to beadjusted back to the rear whenever it is desired to remove or insert anydividing member 26.

y The front ends of some or all of the partitions may be differentlycolored to provide eye guides to assist the operator in sorting themail. Forinstance, the partitions forming compartments corresponding tosome predetermined section of the carriers route may have their frontends of one color, the partitions forming compartments eorre spending toanother section of the route may have their tip ends of a differentcolor, and the partitions corresponding to still another section mayhave their tip ends of another color, etc. Or, if desired, thosepartitions which separate the different sections of the route may havetheir tip ends colored. In either case the color on the ends of thepartitions acts as an eye guide to assist the carrier in quickly placingany piece of mail into its correct location.

In the drawings the colored portions of the partitions are indicated atlVhere the partitions are removed at some point to make a Widecompartment, such for instance as the compartment M in Fig. 3 it is.sometimes desirable to have high parti tions at each side of thecompartment as shown at 35, said partitions being more nearlyrectangular and extending substantially the full vertical distancebetween the shelves. This form of partition is desirable at this pointbecause where the wide compartment is employed the mail does notnecessarily stand on edge but is thrown into the compartmentpromiscuously and much of it lies flat on its side.

The table shown in Fig. 1 is provided with a top which has largecompartments adapted to receive paper and other bulky mail. This tabletop comprises the shelf members 36, 37, and 38 which are connected toend members 37 and a suitable back 40. Said shelves, end member and backare rigidly connected and constitute a unit. The legs of the tables aredetachably secured to the top and the said legs are arranged inconnected pairs, one pair being situated at each end of the table. Thetwo legs 41 at one end of the table are rigidly connected by the crossbars 42, 43 and the two legs 14, on the other end of the table aresimilarly connected. Each pair of legs are detachably secured to thetable by means of suitable brackets 45. \Vhen the table is set up thetwo back legs are connected by a board 46 which is detachably secured tothem by means of screws, and the cross pieces 42 support a shelf 4117.which is also detachably secured thereto. Thisshelf 47 constitutesanadditional space for holding mail, mail-bags orany other articles throwninto the carriers desk and it also constitutes a foot rest for thecarrier when he is seated in front of the desk. The front edge of thisshelf i7 is protected by an angle iron strip 48 and in setting up theshelf it is spaced slightly from the back board 47 as shown at 48 sothat any dirt on the shelf can be easily brushed therefrom.

The routing case is provided with the bottom 50 and is detachablysecured on the table top. The shelf 38 of the table top extends onlypart way to the rear and when the routing case is in place this shelf 38is in line with the bottom 50 of the routing case so that the twocombined forma complete shelf. The routing case is made of slightlygreater length than the table top so that the sides 2 of the caseoverhang the ends of the table top. One purpose of this is toprovide aconstruction in which the table top can be packed into the routing casefor shipment.

in packing for shipment the routing case is disconnected from the tabletop and the legs are also removed therefrom. The shelves are then takenout of the routing case and the table top may be placed within therouting case as shown in Figs. 11 and 12. The table legs may then beplaced on the routing case as indicated in Fig. 11 and the shelves 3,supports 7, and other parts assembled as indicated in Figs. 11 and 12after which the knocked down structure may be enclosed in a packing box51.

In Figs. 8 and 9 a construction is shown which provides a roller bearingfor the shelves and which also prevents the possibility of the shelvestwisting as they are drawn outwardly. In this construction each shelfhas loosely, journalled therein a shaft 52 carrying at each end a gear53 which meshes with a rack bar 54 secured to the side 2 of the routingcase. The two gears 53 are rigid on the shaft 52 and therefore as theshelf is moved baek'and forth in its groove both ends of the shelf willbe compelled to move at the same speed. This will obviate thepossibility of the shelf twisting.

The front edge of the shelf is shown as supported on a roller 56 whichis received in a recess 57 formed in the side 2 and is confined behindthe rack bar 54.

To further guide the shelf each shelf ca;- ries a guide roll 58 whichengages the bottom of the groove thus reducing friction. To assist insorting the paper mail I have shown in 10 a device comprising a board 59having a plurality of partitions 60 extending therefrom. This device isadapted to be placed on the shelf 38 with the board 59 at the front ofthe shelf and the partitions directed backwardly. This device isintended to be used by the carrier in sorting paper and other bulky mailafter he has tinished sorting the letter email. A strap or tape 61 maybe laid on the shelf 38 so that when the mail is placed in thecompartments formed by the partitions 60 it will overlie the strap 61.After the sorting has been accomplished the sorting device is removedfrom the t'ront oi the shelf- 38 thus leaving the mail properly arrangedto be bundled up by the strap or tape 61. When not in use this soi -tingdevice can be placed on the shelf 47.-

In Figs. 13- and 14 I have illustrated a different; embodiment of theinvention wherein the table is provided With a tilttray for holding thebulky mail matter. this construction the table is formed beneath the top1520 With a tray or shelf 1?]; which is st p orted on the transversepartition This tray is a tilting tray and it is adapted to be turnedfrom the position shown in tall lines Figs. 13 and 14 into the dottedline: position Fig, 13. When in the full line positio the bottom of thetray stands substantially horizontally and the front is open so thatmail matter may lreely deposited on the tray; When the tray is in thedotted line position the frontelevated so as to a iiord plenty of kneeroom for the carrier.

In order to permit the tray to thus tilt the sides 123 thereof are madewith the inclined or slanting upper edge 124:, each side beingrelatively shallow at the front and at the brick extending from thebottom of the tray to the table top, Each side is also provided with.the extension 125 in the rear oi the back 126 of the tray and thisextension is termed with the two edges 127, 128- at right angles to eachother, the edge 128 being in elined to the horizontal. The top edge ofthe tray is termed slightly rounding as shown at 1229 thereby permittingthe tray to tilt or rock about the point 130. When the tray is in itsdotted line position the edge 128 of each extension rests on the support122 and the edge 12'? rests against the back Furthermore when in thistilted position the inclined edge 1% of each side rests against theunder side of the table top l2l.- In this position the bottom. of thetray is elevatedat the front so that the carrier sitting: at the deskWill have plenty of knee loom, it being understood that the horizontalpartition 122 is cut away at th front as shown at 138 to provide thedesired knee rooi'n When the tray is tilted,

14 0 indicate rollers carried by the partition 192 on which the bottomor the tray is supported and 1411 are rollers carried by the tray androlling on the partition- These rollers areto facilitate the withdrawalof the tray if it is desired to pull it oi'itvvardly.

1. in carriers desk, the combination with shelves, of partitions dividinthe shelves into compartments, each partition having adoivnwardly-inclined upper edge, the inclination of which is less thanthat of the: edge of the flap of an envelope, whereby When an envelopeis inserted into a compartment the sealed portion of the" flap willengage the partition before the unsealed portion thereof.

2. In a carriers desk, the combination with a case having removableshelves each having a back stop, of a plurality of partitions for eachshelf, a pivoted support for the partitions for eachshelf, eachpartition h aving an inclined under edge which is engaged by thebackstop as the shelf is Withdrawn.

3. In a carrier-"s desk, the combination with a case, of a plurality ofshelves re iiiO'Va blfy sustained thereby, partitions for each shelfsirpported inde 'oendently thereof, each shelf having. relatively shortgrooves at its front edge in Which the front ends of the partitions arereceived and by which they are retained against lateral movement, saidpartitions being vertically movable so as to permitthe ends thereof toride out of the grooves when the shelf is withdrawn.

4. In a carriers desk, the combination with shelves, of partitionsdividing the shelves into compartments, each partition having a verticaldimension substantially some, to that of an ordinary envelope and a toi'vnn'ardly-i nclined upper edge, the in clination of Which edge isless than that ol? the edge oi the flap oi": an envelope Whereby whenthe sealed envelope is inserted in to a compartment the point of theflap will be the first part thereof Which engages the partition and theinclined edge of the partition will have a progressive engagement- Withthe flap from the point thereof to the top,

In a carriers desk the combination with a table having a top, of arouting case supported on said top, and a tray situated beneath the top,said tray being pivotally mounted at its rear end and swingable While inposition beneath the table top from a horizontal position, in which itis operative to receive mail, upwardly toward thetable top into aninclined position thereby to provide added knee room for the carrier.

6. In a carriers desk, the combination with a table having" a top, of arouting case supported on said top, and a tilting tray sustained by thetable beneath the top, and adapted to be tilted from a horizontal p0-sition: upwardly into an inclined position above the horizontalposition, said tray in the latter position providing added knee room forthe carrier. v

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ROBERT T. BOURN

